Answer: What is the proper comma use with "therefore"?

[achacunsagloire]

Our next question comes from lacygrey:

What is the proper comma use with "therefore"?

Comments

[lacygrey]

This is awesome. Thank you for the explanation and for all the research this must have taken. The bibliography is a welcome bonus too.

[achacunsagloire]

Thank you, and you're welcome. :)

[licoricealsorts]

Very instructive.
Would you say that the following sentence was correct or incorrect?

Mary had a little lamb, therefore she was a pet owner.

Thanks.

[achacunsagloire]

Thanks! Glad you think so. :)

No, it is not, but not because of the placement of the comma or "therefore." The reason that that sentence is incorrect is because it is a run-on sentence (more specifically, a comma-splice).

To make it correct, you must insert a conjunction to join the two independent clauses ("Mary had a little lamb" and "therefore she was a pet owner"):

"Mary had a little lamb, so therefore she was a pet owner."
"Mary had a little lamb, and therefore she was a pet owner."

etc.

Or, if you want, you can keep the clauses independent and make them their own sentences:

"Mary had a little lamb. Therefore she was a pet owner."
"Mary had a little lamb. Therefore, she was a pet owner."

Any of those sentences are correct. Whichever one you choose depends on your preference. :)

[haldoor]

Thank you; this is helpful!

[achacunsagloire]

You're welcome. Glad to know it's helpful! :)